I am an entrepreneur and communications expert from Salt Lake City, founder of Snapp Conner PR, and author of Beyond PR: Communicate Like A Champ The Digital Age, available at http://amzn.to/1AO0PxX. I am also a frequent author and speaker on Business Communication. The opinions I express (especially when tongue in cheek) are entirely my own. My newsletter is the Snappington Post, available at http://bit.ly/1iv67Wk

Small Biz Saturday--How to Get From $0 to $7M -- WheatGrassKits

Kaitlin was just 18 years old when she and Garlitz started the business. She operated the business entirely herself, with Garlitz providing marketing. Today Garlitz is 44 and Kat has just turned 31. The company has a very “uncorporate” culture, they note. They hold no titles.

The business is a C-Corporation with 16 full time W-2 employees—the rest are part time. As to hiring family members?

“When necessary, anyone could be fired,” Garlitz says. “The first time it happened to a family member, it put everyone else on notice—we’ve never had an issue since,” he says.

A stackable herb garden

“The benefits of working with family have far outweighed the challenges,” Kat says. “And when people come to us on the recommendation of family members and friends, we feel we can really trust those referrals.”

“Our expenses, particularly the burdened cost per employee and the cost of healthcare, have certainly gone up,” Garlitz says. They have calculated the impact of Obamacare legislation, and it is significant, he says. “We’re cutting back on some of our perks like Pizza Thursday.”

A barn wood planter herb garden, from reclaimed wood

Garlitz doesn’t foresee layoffs. But they are far more conscientious of headcount, he says. They look more closely at ways to outsource all functions possible to fulfillment services. They look at automation as a way to keep headcount down. Thus far, those efforts have allowed them to remain successful.

As for the future – the company has a cheerful attitude and a positive outlook. “Hey, we’re in the food business,” Garlitz jokes. “We have an entire warehouse of seeds and grain. If the Mayan Apocalypse happens, we look to be in very good shape.”

To WheatGrassKits and businesses like them throughout the U.S. – today we salute you. Here’s to a successful Small Business Saturday for all.

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Thanks, Devin – I’ve known of Parker Garlitz for years because of his SEO smarts, and I knew he was selling some goods through ecommerce on the side, but I had no idea how vast that business had actually become. I was very inspired when I heard the full story from Parker and his sister directly. Very motivating indeed. Thanks for your note, Devin!

It is very interesting to see how businesses have innovated and prospered, reading their journeys gives great motivation.

Where you have stated that they encountered problems and found ways over these hurdles… It is great that they have done so. But would it be possible maybe to have a detailed story of the steps these people took to counter the hurdles they were confronted with. I understand with some businesses and markets it would not be wise to give away trade secrets, or offer competitors ways of relieving themselves from similar issues – but it would be extremely fascinating to read a detailed story of a chosen businesses start and rise, and How they overcame some major hurdles in their ways. I just think it might open up our creative solution solving abilities!